


Lost inside

by QuistanC



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Characters are based on my Fire Emblem Heroes RP group, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Leo is from Revelations, Sakura is from Conquest, spoilers for revelation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 23:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15230613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuistanC/pseuds/QuistanC
Summary: It was just a cruel joke of fate, it must be. Why would he be here, of all people? But it was useless to dwell on it. He was here and Sakura has to deal with it.---Leo has been newly summoned to Askr to defend it. However, he does not expect to meet his friends Sakura and Takumi there. The only problem? Both seem to hate his guts and he is persistent to find out why.





	Lost inside

**Author's Note:**

> As you can read in the tags, I based Sakura on the outcome of Conquest route and Leo is from Revelations. Sakura's storypoint is 2 years after Nohr conquered Hoshido where she has become a political tool and after Xander's suggestion, to ensure peace between Nohr and Hoshido, has to marry Leo.

It must be a cruel joke of the universe to place _him_ of all people here. The man that played a large role in the play that was her miserable life. She knew that it was not Kiran’s fault for summoning the Nohrian prince, but at this point, Sakura would have preferred to deal with her traitorous brother than with the blond. And now that his retainer was here as well, they could even be planning something, as wicked as both of them are.

She sighed softly as she sat in the gardens, slowly embroidering a handkerchief she was planning to give to Elise. Maybe it would cheer her friend up a little bit. The fight between their brothers has been dragging her down considerably and Sakura knew that Elise blamed herself for it. Why she did that was beyond Sakura though. After all, it was not her fault that Corrin decided to betray them. Her family simply wanted their sibling to remain with them, as did Sakura’s family.

Her hands faltered when she heard heavy boots approach her. Despite having quite a lot of heroes here who wore heavier armor, she knew it had to be him. No one had approached her so far. “What do you want?” Her voice was sharp, but the steps didn’t falter. They never seemed to.

“I simply wished to converse with you.” Sakura turned around and glared at the Nohrian prince. How dare he be so casual with her after what he has done to them? “Well, I do not wish to talk to you, so I’m asking you to leave.”

Leo gave a sigh as he slowly seated himself next to her, making sure to keep a safe distance between them. Her hands started to grip the handkerchief tightly as the young man apparently would not leave her alone. She forgot the needle in the fabric and gasped softly when the needle pierced her finger. The prince raised his eyebrow in question, but Sakura avoided his gaze and stared down at her bleeding finger and seeing the lily on it. _Do it for Elise,_ she thought. The priestess frowned slightly before unclenching her fingers. “Speak then,” she mumbled, looking at anywhere but at him.

The dark knight gave a low hum. “I wanted to know exactly what happened in your timeline. I spoke to your brother and it seems to be a lot different from mine. Maybe then I could understand your hatred.” There was a long pause between the two royals before Sakura gave a scoff. “W-why would you want to learn more a-about my timeline? Our brother b-betrayed us and got both of my brothers killed. Now I am stuck being a god f-forsaken political tool. An “ambassador”, they call me. I know t-that you Nohrian are j-just waiting until you can c-claim the Hoshidan throne!” 

Her sudden outburst shocked both of them for a moment. Sakura thought she had overcome her bitterness regarding the outcome of the war, but it seemed she was wrong. “So Corrin sided with Nohr in your timeline and the casualties were incredibly high, I take it.” She gave him a deadpan look and Leo chuckled softly. “Alright, alright… Your brother already made it clear that I tend to say unnecessary things.” Frustration settled in her gut upon hearing his chuckling. Was this all a joke to him? Just because his timeline was so much _better_ than hers? This whole situation was truly just a cruel joke of the universe. When she was already down on the ground, the world just had to kick her again.

Upon seeing Sakura’s angry expression, Leo gave a wistful smile before glancing towards the trees in the distance. “I know I cannot change the events that have happened in your timeline. But I wish for you to know that we Nohrians aren’t that bad as you might think right now. Of course, actions speak louder for us most of the time and often our words are not as carefully chosen as Hoshidans tend to do, but we are in no means evil.” The mage returned his gaze to the girl beside him, seeing her eyebrows furrowed and her face in deep thought. Perhaps she was considering his words. Or maybe it was just false hope. Well, it would not be the first time that Leo noticed differences between the Takumi and the Sakura residing here and the ones in his own timeline. Oh how he missed his dear friends…

“Even so, Nohrians destroyed my family, my country. I have seen so many of our generals being executed.” Leo flinched slightly, but managed to hold Sakura’s gaze. Something was definitely different about this Sakura. She was not the soft-hearted little girl who stumbled over her own words when the three of them spent time together, who would often seek him out for strategic advice or would end up blushing as pink as her hair when Takumi teased her about having possible crush on him. This Sakura in front of him was grown woman who had to endure the aftermath of a merciless war. It looked like no real smile has reached her eyes in _years_. A small part of his heart broke at that realization.

There was a long moment of silence between them where both of them considered the words of the other. It was Sakura who spoke up to break the silence. “Tell me. What is your w-world like? It s-seems to be too good to be true.” 

“Are you sure about this? Your brother did not react well to hearing about my world even though he was the one to ask about it.” The priestess just gave him a blank stare and Leo made a mental note to get used to not seeing Sakura smile or answer in words. If only he could change the past for them. Maybe Brynhildr could give him some ideas…

“Alright… In my world, Corrin is a woman and she decided to side with neither Nohr nor Hoshido, but all of us joined her later during the war. Even our eldest brothers who would still constantly bicker amongst themselves until we met our true enemy.” Slowly, Leo leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, nervously fiddling with his gauntlets. Recently, he seemed to have developed a habit of fiddling with things when he is feeling uneasy it seems.

“Valla. It is a hidden country now led by Corrin. Although it was not necessarily Valla that was our enemy, more like Corrin’s true father – the dragon Anankos.” His gaze rested on her face, but her expression gave nothing away. Surely, she has gotten good at hiding what she thinks when before, she was such an open book to him. “Ultimately, we defeated Anankos and ever since had a peace treaty between Hoshido and Nohr. And I have gotten along with the version of you and Takumi in my world.” Another awkward silence surrounded them and for a moment, Leo thought it might have been a mistake to tell her about his timeline, despite her asking.

“I see,” she finally said and put the handkerchief to her left. That was when he noticed the silver band on her hand and he frowned deeply. A silver band on the right hand meant that she was engaged, but didn’t she say something about… Without meaning to, Leo could feel his cheeks heat slightly and he glanced to the side in case that he blushed.

“You… You said that you are to be married in your timeline. A-And.. You said it was to me?”

Sakura felt it appropriate to let him struggle a bit for such a dumb question, but it was against her still present kind hearted nature. Almost hesitantly, she began to twirl the ring on her finger, having completely forgotten that she was still wearing it. “Yes… I-It is a political marriage. N-no love involved from either side.” Her expression grew grim as she dropped her right hand into her lap again. If only they had at least developed feelings for each other in their timeline, then maybe the whole ordeal would be easier to deal with. “T-The Leo in my world is not k-kind. Not really. H-He is always cruel whenever I visit for p-political reason or if I s-spend time with Elise.”

Leo did not know what to say for a moment. He wanted to stay that this was not his usual behavior at all and that something must have gone wrong, but he knew that this was exactly how he would behave had he not met the princess under different circumstances. “I am sorry. I wish I could tell you how to change his mind. You deserve better than that.” She glared at him then as she stood in front of him, staring down.  
“Who are you to say what I deserve or don’t deserve? You differentiate yourself from the Leo in our timeline and yet you treat us as if we are the same as the Sakura, Elise and Takumi from your timeline!” Her voice was beginning to raise as she balled up her hands, tempted to lash out.

Leo stared up at her, giving her the advantage of height for the moment. “You are correct. Though I never denied that deep down, that I am the same as the Leo in your timeline. However, different circumstances lead to different development. Deep down, I’m just snarky asshole who hates to lose in any kind of way and is desperate to step outside the shadow of my older siblings. And deep down, you are just a kind and soft-hearted girl who puts everyone before herself. And deep down, your brother is also just a lost soul trying to forge his own path outside of the shadows of his older brothers.” Their eyes interlocked for a long moment as the rage seemed to seep out of the priestess’ body. Leo was tempted to reach out and hold her close to him, to comfort her. His brotherly instincts were kicking in again. _Yeah, keep telling that to yourself_. He frowned at the voice at the back of his mind. Of course his heart was unable to make up his mind.

“Sakura. I do not want you or Takumi to forgive what Nohr has done to you. What my _father_ has done to you. What has been done to you is unforgivable and I pray for them that they will try to make it up every day, but please… Don’t make this whole situation harder than it is by projecting your hatred onto me for I will try to stop to see you as what you are not: My friends from Hoshido.” His stomach began to churn at Sakura’s silence. To put his heart out like that was so unusual of him. Unconsciously, his hand reached up to hold hers, to comfort her in any way, he stopped himself as the tears streamed down her face.  
“It’s just unfair. It’s so incredibly unfair that the man tormenting me gets to smile, be happy and I? I have to s-suffer! H-have to marry him even!” She began to hiccup as she suppressed her sobs. All the sorrow that was lodged inside her heart began to pour out at once at finally having spoken the truth. “I am afraid, s-so afraid! I d-don’t want to go back to my o-own world. W-Why did it have to b-be you? Y-You are always so dark and g-gloomy, as if you want to extinguish the l-light of everyone around y-you! What m-made you so full of h-hatred and bitter, Leo?” Her sobs finally wrung themselves out of her mouth as she felt herself crumble to her knees, pressing her palms into her face. “Why c-can’t you love?”

And in this moment, Leo felt his own heart shatter as he watched the girl in front of her crumble. It was only when her last words registered in his brain that he was hit with realization and his expression fell in time with him as he cradled the girl close to him. “You said that it would be a loveless marriage from both sides, but you lied, didn’t you…?” His voice was a quiet as he spoke, letting the squirming girl rest against his shoulder. After a few minutes, she settled and just cried, not trying to speak and Leo was fine with holding her close for the moment. He would eventually get his answers.  
Time passed and the sun was beginning to set when Sakura spoke up again. “I s-shouldn’t feel anything for him, for you. Y-you are our enemy even if Nohr is controlling H-Hoshido. And y-yet, I c-can’t help but to see behind your façade; to see how b-broken and lonely you truly are. And I can’t help but to wonder: What happened?” Her speech has been interrupted a few times by her shaking voice, but it felt good to be honest. She couldn’t possible tell her brother the truth.

However, Sakura began to doubt her feelings of being relieved the moment Leo remained quiet. She tried to lean back from his embrace to gauze at his face, but he kept her pressed into his shoulder. Only when she noticed that he was shaking slightly did she realize why. “Love is not something that comes easy for me. But… That’s a story for another day.” Leo kept on holding her for a few minutes until he gently pushed her away from him, giving her his usual smirk. Though, it was obvious to her that this was simply a mask. “Thank you for confiding in me, Sakura. Don’t worry, I will not tell your brother about this. This will be our little secret, hm?”

It was only when she watched his retreating back that she realized that _he_ rejected her while telling her how to forge her own possible happy future. She rubbed away her own tears and stood. “Thank you, Leo.”


End file.
